It’s hard to believe it was 8 years ago that the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra, under the direction of Yuri Temirkanov, performed Alexander Nevsky accompanying the 1938 film. As I recall it was a cold November night as I made my way to the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. I remember it being cold as there was a long line of people waiting to get tickets that trailed all the way outside the building, and you know who was last in line. I hadn’t expected Alexander Nevsky to draw such a large crowd and one that contained so many different age groups. Young, old and in between were all there.

I was fortunate enough to have a seat in a box above the orchestra where I could see everything from the film close up to the players to Temirkanov conducting and turning the pages of the score. It was exciting! The whole day after the concert I spent reading about this man called Alexander Nevsky while listening to the music by Prokofiev on repeat. Every time I hear the Cantata based on the film music, the memories of a cold November night spent highly entertained and moved at the Meyerhoff Symphony Hall come dashing back full speed.